Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The jobseeker's benefit scheme provides income support for people who lose work and who have the required number of social insurance contributions. The 2015 Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure on jobseeker’s benefit of €407 million.

Individuals who are self-employed cannot typically access jobseeker’s benefit as class S contributions do not qualify a person for jobseeker’s benefit. However, a self-employed person who has sufficient social insurance contributions as an employee could qualify for jobseeker’s benefit provided he or she either gives up his or her self-employment or his or her self-employment is considered to be subsidiary employment, which is one of the situations referred to by the Deputy. To be considered as subsidiary employment, the relevant employment should be in addition to the jobseeker’s usual employment. In addition, either the amount of earnings or profit from the occupation cannot exceed €12.70 per day, or the jobseeker must have a minimum of 117 PRSI contributions paid immediately preceding the date of the claim or in respect of the last three contribution years.

I am not completely clear on what the Deputy means by coding. However, it may be possible for a part-time farmer, who has a very low income from farming, less than €12.70 per day, or who has the required number of social insurance contributions as an employee, 117 PRSI contributions, to qualify for jobseeker’s benefit. The individual must satisfy all conditions of the jobseeker’s benefit scheme, including being available for and genuinely seeking full-time employment.

If the jobseeker does not have the relevant number of contributions, he or she may be eligible for jobseeker’s allowance. Alternatively, if his or her earnings from part-time farming are higher than the €12.70 limit for subsidiary employment, he or she may qualify for farm assist. I understand the Deputy has already discussed this issue with the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, but I will ask my officials to look at the issue. Any cases the Deputy is aware of would be of help in that examination.

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